Floor waxing and polishing machine



Nov. 19, 1929. w, 1 KEEPER Q 1,736,446

FLOOR WAXING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed April 1925 a Sheets-Sfieet 1Nov. 19, 1929. w. L. KE FER FLOOR WAXING AND POLISHING MACHINE 3'Shets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1925 Nov. 19, 1929. w. L. KEEFER FLOORWAXING AND POLISHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 7, 1925Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" \VALTER L. KEEFER,0F CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WALTER G.

WOLF, OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA FLOOR WAXING AND POLISHING MACHINEApplication filed April 7,

My invention relates to cleaning and polishing machines, and it hasparticular relation to such machines as are adapted to wax and polishfloor surfaces.

One object of my invention is to provide a portable power-driven machineof the class described that shall be equally effective as a vacuum floorscrubbing machine and as a waxing and polishing machine. K

Another object of my invention is to provide self-feeding means for thefluid supply cup of a waxing and polishing machine that shall minimizethe tendency forthe fluid to coagulate around the valve opening and stopthe flow of fluid from said cup.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the classdescribed, wherein a flow of air may be established over the fluidapplied to the floor surface so as to dry the same quickly.

Other objects and applications of my invention, as well as details ofconstruction and operation, whereby my invention may be practiced willappear more fully hereinafter when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a combined vacuum floorscrubbing and wax-- ing machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure of the preceding figures; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged, detail, top and bottom plan and sideelevational views, respectively of the agitator for the wax cup.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, amachine 1 of the general type disclosed in my co-pending application,Serial No. 681,164, filed Dec. 17 1924, is operatively associated with aselffceding wax cup attachment 2, whereby a floor surface 3 may be waxedand dried and polished with a minimum expenditure of time and of money.

The main machine 1 may comprise a base portion4 which includes front,rear and side walls 5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively. A chamber 9 may beformed at one end of the base 4 by means of the front wall 5 adjacentportions 1925. Serial No. 21,395.

of the side walls 7 and 8 and a wall 11 which is spaced from the frontwall 5 and extends between the side walls 7 and 8. The lower edges ofthe front, intermediate and side walls 5, 11, 7 and 8, respectively, arespaced from the floor surface 3 to provide an air gap 12 which extendsaround the chamber 9, permitting a flow of air through the same and overthe portion of the floor surface 3 within the chamber 9, for reasons aswill appear more fully hereinafter.

A brush 13 of annular form is mounted within the chamber 9 for rotativeengagement with the floor surface 3 by means of a gear wheel 14,. whichis rigidly secured to a vertically positioned shaft 15, and a clampingplate 16, which is in threaded engagement with the lower end of theshaft 15, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus to remove the brush 13 from thesupporting gear wheel 14, it is Eecessary only to unscrew the clampingmem- The shaft 15, which is provided with a central passage 17terminating at its lower end in the chamber 9, may be revolubly mountedon a tubular bushing 18. The bushing 18 may loosely engage a bearingportion 19 of an inwardly projecting tubular extension 21 from thehousing 22. The housing 22 maybe secured by screws 23 to the upper edgeof the front, rear and side walls 5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively.

In order to provide for the vertical adjustment of the brush 13, anupper portion 24 of the tubular sleeve 18 is threaded so. as to engage acorrespondingly threaded portion 25 mounted in the housing 22 andmovable into and out of engagement with a longitudinally extending slot'29 in the threaded portion 24 in the rear end portion of the housing22. A

shaft 35 of the motor 32 extends downwardly through the opening 34 and achamber 36 into the vacuum chamber 9. A portion 37 of the shaft 34,which is disposed within the chamber 9, is spirally threaded and mesheswith the gear wheel 14. The operation of the motor 32 thus causes therotation of the brush 13. The chamber 36 may be formed by a verticallyinclined extension 38 from the intermediate wall 11'; a wall portion 39of the housing 22, which is contiguous to the intermediate wall 11; anda portion 41 of the housing 22. A i

A fan 42 is positioned on the section of the shaft 35 within the chamber36, whereby a flow of air may be established from the chamber 36 uparound the motor 32 in the direction shown by the arrows. The chamber 36is provided with an opening 43 into a sedimentation or expansion chamber44. The latter may be formed by the intermediate wall 11, the side walls7 and 8 and a base 45 which extends between said side walls rearwardlyto the rear wall 6. The base 45 may be provided with a downwardlyextending portion 46 which is spaced from the intermediate wall 11 toform a passage 47 between the vacuum chamber 9 and the sedimentationchamber 44. The edge of the projecting base portion 46 is spaced fromthe floor surface 3 and it co-operates with the adjacent edge of theintermediate wall 11 to form an arcuate nozzle 48. The direction of theflow of air in the above parts is indicated by arrows.

The sedimentation or expansion chamber 44 is particularly applicablewhen the machine above described is used for the scrubbing and washingof floor surfaces, and it then functions to cause a separation of thecleansing fluid and the air discharged from the vacuum chamber 9. Thecleansing fluid may be supplied from a tank 49 through a valve 51 andconnecting pipe 52 to the upper end of the tubular shaft 15. Theeffluent from the sedimentation chamber 44 may be removed by means of acentrifugal pump 53 actuated by means of the motor 32. The pump 53dlscharges through piping 54 into a filtering apparatus 55 whichconstitutes one of the features of my aforesaid co-pending,

The drawings illustrate the application. valve 51 as closed and the pipe52 disconnected from the shaft 15 to permit of the attachment of the waxcup structure 2.

Referring more particularl to Figs. 1., 4, 5 and 6, a cup or casing 56for the reception of oil, wax or other polishing material comprises aside wall 57, a removable cover 58 for an upper end portion 59, and abase 61. The latter is provided with a recess 62 having a base 63 and aside wall 64. The latter wall 64 has an outlet 65 which opens into adownwardly extending perforation 66 in the base 61. The lower end of theperforation or passage 66 may be closed by means of a removable plug 67.l

' A horizontal passage 68 has one end 1n communication with the verticalpassage 66, and its opposite end so disposed as to communicatesuccessively with a plurality of radial passages 69 formed in a verticalshaft 71 which is journaled in the base 61 of the cup 56 and whichextends up through the recess 62 into said cup 56. A lower portion 72 ofthe vertical shaft 71 is tubular in form providing a passage 73 whichcommunicates with the radial perforations 69 at its upper end and withthe vacuum chamber 9 at its lower end. A continuous passage is thusprovided betweenthe cup 56 and the chamber 9, and this passage may beperiodically blocked upon the rotation of the vertical shaft 71.

As abovenoted, an important feature of my invention is the provision ofan agitator 74 that is adapted to exert a pumping action on the wax orother material within the cup 56, whereby said material may be drawninto engagement with the agitator 74. The latter is also adapted toestablish a centrifugal force in the material in contact therewith,whereby the same may be positively actuated or fed through the opening65 and passages 66, 68, 69 and 73 leading to the scrubber chamber 9. Theagitator for accomplishing this desired result comprises a hub 7 5, alower end 76 of which engages the base 63 of the recess 62. The upperend of the hub 75 is provided with a pair of aligned slots 77, 77 whichare adapted to receive respectively the ends of a pin 78 removablypositioned in a horizontally extending perforation 79 in the verticalshaft 71. The agitator 74 may be resiliently retained in position bymeans of a spring 81 which abuts against the upper edge of the hub 75and a pin 82 removably secur d to the upper end of the vertical shaft71.

A pair of blades 83 and 84 extend in opposite directions from the hub75, and each blade is provided with a curved outer wall 85 adapted toengage the side wall 64 of the recess 62. As particularly illustrated inFigs. 1 and 6, each blade further comprises a base portion 86, whichengages the base 63 of the recess 62, and a differentially inclinedsurface 87 which extends to the upper edge of the curved side wall 85 soas to provide an inclined edge 88, whereby the rotation of the blades 83and 84 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4 may cause thewax or like material to be drawn down into the sage 66, so as tointerrupt when desired the communication between the latter passage andthe horizontal passage 68, as shown in Fig. 1. The end of the passage 68adjacent to the vertical passage 66 is preferably provided with threads92, whereby the inner end of the regulating screw may enter thehorizontal passage 68. A spring 93 encircles the outer-portion 0f theregulating screw 89 between the base 61 of the wax cup 56 and anenlarged head portion 94 of the regulating screw 89, serving to retainthe latter in the desired position.

The tubular shaft portion 72 is of such dimensions as to fit within anenlarged portion 95 of the brush shaft immediately adjacent to the upperend thereof. The telescopin shaft portions may be keyed together bymeans of a pin 96 which extends from the agitator shaft 71 into avertical recess 97 in the adjacent portion of the brush shaft 15. Thewax cup 56 may be supported in this position by means of a tubularhousing 98 which extends downwardly from base portion 61. The lower edgeof the housing 98 is provided with pairs of aligned slots 99, 99 whichare adapted to receive the arms of the brush-adjusting knob 26. Aremovable mounting is thus afforded the wax cup attachment 2, makingpossible a quick change in the application of the machine, that is, froma waxing and polishing device to a floor scrubbing and cleaning device.I

In operation, when the motor 32 is energized, the fan 42, the agitator74 and the polishing brush 13 are simultaneously operated. As a resultof the operation of the agitator 74, wax is positively fed from the cup56 through the outlet opening and the passages 66, 68, 69 and 73 intothe vacuum waxing chamber 9, where it is immediately spread over thefloor surface within the chamber 9 by the action of the rotating brush13.

The fan 12 simultaneously causes a flow of air into the chamber 9through the air gap 12, causing the wax to dry quickly, with the resultthat said floor surface begins to polish at once. The advantages of thismethod of waxing and polishing floor surfaces over the prior art methodsare readily apparent, in asinuch as in the latter the wax mustnot bepolished for a relatively long period .after being applied to the floorsurface in order to permit said wax to dry and harden.

While I have shown only one embodiment of my invention, for the purposeof describing its principles of construction and operation, it isapparentthat various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and I desire,therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as areindicated in the appended claims or as are demanded by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A chamber provided with an outlet opening for a desired material, andan agitator positioned within said chamber and provided with aprojecting tubular shaft portion having an inlet opening, said outletand inlet openings being interconnected, said agitator being adapted toforce said material from said chamber through said outlet or. ening intosaid inlet opening.

2. A chamber provided with an outlet opening for a desired material, anagitator positioned Within said chamber and provided with a projectingtubular shaft portion having an inlet opening, said outlet and inletopenings being interconnected, said agitator being adapted to force saidmaterial from said chamber through said outlet opening into said inletopening, and means for regulating the amount of material discharged fromsaid outlet opening.

3. A casing having a recess in one portion thereof, one wall of saidrecess being provided with an outlet opening, a shaft extending throughthe base of said recess, and a member having a plurality of bladesremovably secured to said shaft, the blades being adapted to engage thewall of said recess and so formed as to force positively the materialfrom said casing through said outlet opening, one portion of said shaftbeing tubular in form and provided with an inlet opening incommunication with said outlet opening.

4. A casing having an outlet opening in one wall for the passagetherethrough of the desired material, a shaft projecting into saidcasing, a member mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage the wallsof said casing, and resilient means tending to preventa verticalmovement of said member, the latter being so formed as to cause apositive actuation of the material from said casing through said outletopening. I

5. A casing having an outlet opening in one wall for the passagetherethrough of the desired material, a shaft projecting into saidcasing, a member mounted on said shaft, and resilient means tending toprevent a vertical movement of said member, the latter being so formedas to cause the positive actuation of the material from said casingthrough said outlet opening, the end portion of said shaft being tubularand having an inlet opening in communication with said outlet opening. Qp

'6. A casing having an outlet opening 1n one wall for the.passagetherethrough of a desired material, a shaft projecting into said casing,a member mounted on said shaft and 7 adapted to engage the walls of saidcasing, resilient means tending to prevent a vertical movement of saidmember, the latter being formed so as to cause the positive actuation ofsaid material from-said casing through said outlet opening, one endportion of said shaft being tubular and having an inlet openmgcommunicating with said outlet opening,

and means for regulating at will the amount of material dischargedthrough said outlet opening.

7. A casing having a recess in the base por: tion thereof, the wall ofwhich is provided with an outlet opening, a shaft extending up throughsaid base portion, a member removably mounted on said shaft providedwith a plurality of blades extending to the wall of said recess,resilient means tending to prevent a relative movement between saidshaft and said member, said shaft being tubular in form and providedwith an inlet opening communicating with said outlet opening, and meansfor regulating at will the amount of material discharged from saidoutlet openin 2 A machine comprising a vacuum chamber movable over asurface to be treated, a chamber adapted to contain a desired materialand having an outlet opening, and an agitator positioned within saidlast-mentioned chamber provided with a tubular shaft portion openinginto said first-mentioned chamber, said shaft portion having an inletopening in communication with said outletopening, said agitator beingadapted to force said material through said openings and the passage ofsaid shaft into said first-mentioned chamber.

9. In a floor-polishing machine, means for scrubbing and polishing thefloor, means forv retaining a polishing medium, means interconnectingthe said two first mentioned means, and means for pumping the polishingmedium towards said last-mentioned means and for then forcing it throughsaid interconecting means into proximity with the polishing means. v

10. In a floor-polishing machine, means for scrubbing and polishing thefloor, means for retaining a polishing medium, means interconnecting thesaid two first-metioned means,

and means in said retaining means for pump- 111g the polishing mediumtowards said last mentioned means and for then forcing it through vsaidinterconnecting means into proximity with the polishing means.

11. In a floor-polishing machine, a rotatable polishing brush, means forrotating said brush, a container for a polishing medium, a hollowshaftinterconnecting said brush and said containera and a centrifugal fan insaid container for rawing the pollshing medium thereto and for thenforcing it through said shaft into operative relation with said brush.

12. In a floor-polishing machine, a polishing means for the floor,having an opening therein, means for rotating said polishing means, acontainer above said polishing means and having an opening therein, ahollow shaft interconnecting said openings, and a centrifugal pump insaid container for drawing the polishing medium thereto and for thenforcing it through the opening in said container, into said shaft, andthence into proximity with the polishing means.

13. In a floor-polishing machine, a polishing means for the floor,having an opening therein located substantially centrallythereof,-meansfor rotating said polishing means, a container for a polishing mediumhaving an opening adjacent the bottom thereof, a hollow shaftinterconnecting said openings, means in said shaft for controlling thesize of opening therein, and centrifugal means in said containeradjacent the bottom thereof for drawing the polishing medium downwardlyin the direction thereof and for then forcing it through said hollowshaft into proximity with said polishing means.

' WALTER L. KEEFER.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

PatentNo. l ,736;446. 1 GrantedNovember 19, 1929, to

WALTER L. KEEFER.

It ishereby certified that the name of the assignee in the abovenumbered patent should have been written and printed "Harry G. Wolf",instead of "Walter G. Wolf", as shown by the records of assignmentsin'this office; and that the q id L tt s Patentsh uld be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

- Signed and sealed this 20th day of May; A. D. 1 930.

M. J. Moore, v

(Seal) I i Acting-Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,736,446. Granted November 19, 1929, to

WALTER L. KEEFER.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the abovenumbered patent should have been written and printed "Harry G. Wolf",instead of "Walter G. Wolf", as shown by the records of assignments inthis office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of May, A. D. 1930.

I M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

